Milling machine



943. F. A. HASSMAN 2,327,107

MILLING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l Ilia 7 l N VENTOR. flaw/Z 0951mm WWW ATTORNEY.

1943- F. A. HASSMAN 2,327,107

MILLING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

flap/i flissm/y BY ATTORNEY.

Ilia 7 Aug. 17, 1943. F. A. HASSMAN 2,327,107

MILLING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 5%? A Aims/7,4

WWW

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 17, 1943.

F. A. HASSMAN MILLING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 17, 1943 7 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE is 2,327,107 r V MILLING MACHINE Fred A. Hassman, Cincinnati, Ohio; assignor to The Cincinnati Milling-Machine 00., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio ,7 1

Application April 3, 1941, Serial No; 386,695

Claims.

This invention relates to milling machines and more particularly to improvements in transmission and control mechanism therefor.

In certain types of milling machines and specially in the smaller sizes the variable feed gear box is mounted in the knee, the spindle transmission and the motor are mounted in the column, and a common start and stopcontrol clutch is provided in the column for simultaneously connecting or disconnecting both transmissions to or from the prime mover. An extensible power train transmits motion at a constant rate from the column to the knee and means are provided in the knee for serially connecting this train with the feed box for operation of the work support units at a feed rate or selectlvely connecting the train direct to the units for rapid traverse operation. Since the feed-rapid traverse selector is located in the knee it should .now be obvious that when the main clutch is disconnected no power is available in the knee for rapid traverse adjustment of the various work support units for setup purposes and such adjustments must, therefore, be effected manually.

It is an object of this invention to improve the construction of such machines whereby,even although the main clutch is disengagedypower is available in the knee for rapid traverse purposes only.

Another object of this invention is to obtain these results with a minimum addition of mechanism because of the limited space available in such machines and their general compact nature.

A further object of this invention is to generally improve the operation of milling machinesof the type described herein, Other objects and advantages of thepresen invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described,

within the scope of the appended c1aims,without departing from or invention. 7 Referring to the drawings in which like refexceeding the spirit of the erence' numerals indicate like or similar parts:

tion of the transmission and control mechanism saddle and knee is mounted on the side in the knee as viewed on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure l. r

Figure 5 is a horizontal detail section on the line 5'5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 65 of Figure 3'.

Figure 7 is a detailed section of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic control circuit.

Figure 9 is a detailed section on the line 99 of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral Is indicates the column of a on the line 'I'! knee and column type milling machine, the column having guide ways H on the front wall for receiving a vertically movable knee [2, the knee carrying a saddle 13 for cross movement, and

the saddle in turn carrying a work table M.

The column has agooseneck portion I5 terminating in a vertically adjustable support lE for a tool spindle H. The worksupporting table [4 thus has three directions of movement, one of which is parallel to the axis of adjustment'of th spindle, whereby relative movement between the'tableand the cutter may be obtained by adjustment of the knee or adjustment of the spindle support. I r The variable speed transmission for the spindle, shown in expanded view in Figure 2, is mounted in the column of the machine, while the feed box I8for determining the rate of movement of the work supporting units, such as the table, of the knee as shown in Figure 1. w

Both of these transmission units derive their power from a common prime mover, such as the motor l9, which is enclosed in a housing 20 forming part of the column as shown in Figure l. A common start and stop control clutch 2| shown in Figure 2 serves to simultaneously connect the motor [9 for actuation of the teed and speed transmissions. In other words, the motor is has a pinion 22 which continuously drives agear 23, and the gear 23 continuously rotatsbne-half of the plates of the multiple disc clutch 2i. The fren'iaining plates are operatively connected to a common drive; gear ii-fl' while the shifter spool 25 serves toefiect frictional engagement between the plates} for driving purposes. The shifter spool 25 isroperatively connected through mechanism. not shown toa manual con trol lever 2'3'mounted on the side of the column for manual control thereby.

The gear 2Q functions as a common drive gear for the feed and spindle transmissions of the machine. The gear 2:3 is connected for rotation of the variable speed transmission through the following reversing means. A gear 2'! slidably mounted on a splined shaft 28 intermeshes directly with the gear 24 for rotation of the spindle in one direction, and when shifted to the left out of engagement with the gear 2% and into engagement with idler gear 29, which has a second integral idler gear of continuously intermeshing with the gear 23, it effects rotation of the spindle in an opposite direction. serves as a reversing gear for the spindle.

The variable speed transmission comprises a spline shaft 23 which carries a shiftable unit 3| She gear 21 thus comprising gears 32, 33 and 34 that are adapted to be selectively intermeshed with gears 35. 36 and 31 respectively, fixed to shaft 38. A third shaft 39 has a first shiftable couplet iii, comprising gears il and 52, which is alternately shifta'nle to effect engagement of its gears with gears and respectively.

By means of this combination the shaft 3% may be driven at any one of six different speeds. The shaft 39 also has a second couplet fi l 's'plined thereon comprising gears 35 and 46 which may be alternately intermeshed with gears i! and 48 respectively, carried by the shaft 32f The shaft ii) is interconnected by bevel gearing 56 for rotation of the spindle ll. Thus, the spindle may be driven at any one of twelve different speeds and in opposite directions.

The gear 24 is operatively connected for operation of the work support units through the following transmission. This transmission includes first an extensible power train which extends to the knee and comprises a gear 5| which is in permanent mesh with the common drive gear 2 and operatively connected through an overrunning clutch .52 for rotation of a shaft 53 which terminates in a bevel gear 5%. Referring to Figured this bevel gear is connected to a bevel gear fixed to the upper end of a vertical drive shaf by means of intermediate bevel gears 57 and 58 attached to opposite ends of a'sha ft 53. The shaft 56 is a square shaft as shown in Figure 5 whereby it functions as a spline shaft and is vertically slidable through a gear -SO which as shown inFigure 6 is mounted against axial movement in the knee l2. This forms an extensibledriving connection between the transmission in the column and the transmission in the vertically movable knee. v a 1 The gear G9 intermeshes with a gear SI for driving a common reversing mechanism for the work support units indicated generally by the reference numeral E2. This mechanism includes a spline shaft 83 to one end of which the gear Si is attached and upon which is slidably splined a shiftable reversing clutch 65. A pair'of bevel gears 65 and 6G is supported for free rotation on the shaft 83 and are operatively connected to the shaft by th'e'clutch member 6 3' for opposite rotation of a bevel gear 6'! secured to the end of a drive shaft 68. The shaft 68 constitutes the input drive shaft for'reversible actuation of the feed box-and this box has afinal output gear 69.

A gear ii! is shiftable into mesh with gear '69 for driving the work support units at feed rates, the gear-1i; forming part-efa gear train comprising gearill for vertical actuation of the knee through beveled-gearlfl gear 73 for driving the splined' shaft 14 which is operatively connected for translation of the table and gear H which meshes with gear 15 for rotation of the saddle feed screw it. Selector clutches T1 and 18 serve to determine actuation of the knee and saddle respectively. A start' and stop clutch for the table is also provided but not shown. It will be noted that the clutches for the saddle and knee are also simple start and stop clutches, the reverser shown in Figure 6 acting as a common reverser for changing the direction of movement of all of the supports.

When it is desired to move the various work support units at a rapid traverse rate the input shaft 53 which runs at a constant rate is i connected to the various support actuating gears H, 75 and i3 independent of the feed box. This is accomplished in the following manner. A gear 7% integral with gear 5'! drives through an idler gear 39, a gear 8! of a rapid traverse clutch 82. This clutch, as shown in Figure 3, is mounted on the table drive shaft Hi and a clutch shifter 83 is provided for effecting engagement of the clutch which is of the multiple disc type, one set of plates being connected to the gear 3! and the other set operative'ly connected to the gear 13. Since the gear i3 is splined on the shaft H, engager'nent of the clutch 32 effects rotation of the gear 13 and connected train 19, "H, and 15 as well as shaft M. v

When the clutch engaged, however, the gear 10 must be out of engagement with the gear $8 so that it can act as an idler gear to transmit motion from the gear 73 to the gears 'ii and 15. Thus, the table drive grea E3, the knee drive gear H and the saddle drive gear 75 are now all rotated at a fast rate whereby operation of any of the supports at rapid traver 5 may be obtained; the direction still being cont ied by the common reverser clutch shown in Figure 6. It will be noted that regardless of the position of the various control parts in the knee as just described there will be no power available for actuation of the Work support units at either afeed rate or at a rapid traverse rate if the main clutch 2| is .di. engaged. By means of this inven .on a power connection is provided whereby power is made available in the knee when the rapid traverse clutch is engaged and is not available when the clutch is disengaged whereby when the spindle is stopped the work support units may be power shifted only at a rapid traverse rate.

'llie shifting of the rapid traverse clutch, as well asoi the gear T 8 is controlled by a manually operable lever which is mounted on the side of the knee for rotation of a shaft 85. This shaft is connected through the linkage shown in Figure 9 for axial shifting of a shifter rod 85.

This linkage comprises a crank arm -21 secured to theshaft t5 a-.d a link 38 which pivotelly com nects the crank to a block iii] secured to the rod fork 92 which is operative-1y connected for shiftv ing the gear it. As shown in Figure '7, the shifter rod 89 has a rack and pinion connection 93 with a rotatable shaft 9d which at the other end has a rack and pinion connection 95 with a' shifter rod 93f0r the rapid traverse clutch shifter 88.

2,327,107" The: shifter 83' has a lost motion connection with the rod 95. A spring 91 is interposed be tween'the shifter and a fixed part of the knee for holding the shifter and clutch in a disengaged position. The rod 96 is provided with a collar 98 which is spacedirom theshifter a definite amount to providela limited lost motion to insure that the gear I9 is disengaged from the out put feed gear 69 before the rapid traverse clutch is engaged. This insures against any attempt to drive the gear It at two different rates simultaneously which might cause damage to the transmission.

The rod 95 also carries a ball-ended lever 58- which fits into a slot 99 in a rotatablemember IllG. As shown in Figure 1,-theshaft 55 is surrounded and protected by a series of telescoping tubes indicated generally by the reference numeral Hil whereby they may expand or collapse in accordance with upward or downward movement of the knee. These tubes'have been provided with splines and the lower tube #92 is connectedby a key 93 to the rotatable member its as shown in Figure 6. Thusupon'rotatl the member 69 the rotary motion will be transwhi upper i mitted through all the tubes to a gear iii has a splined connection with the as shown in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure the gear lridintermeshes with a rack bar I36 which has a spool valve i6? formed onthe end thereof. The valve spool slides in a bore E58 in which there are formed two ports 85 and lid, Figure 8. A third port Hi is connected by channel means iii to the is connected by a channel l IE to port i is located in the end of a cylinder ii A port I it is connected by a channel IE! to a port i22 located in the end of cylinder 123. these cylinders support opposite ends of a shifter rod Q24 upon which is mounted a' shifter fork I25 for actuating a clutch I25 which'serves to connect a gear I21 which is continuously driven by the gear 23 to the shaft 53. i

It will be noted as stated supra that the gear 5i was connected by an overrunning clutch 52 to the shaft 53 and therefore when the gear 5! is not rotating due to disengagement of the clutch 2| the gear l2? may rotate the shaft 53 without causing rotation of the gear 52. It, therefore, follows that when the rapid traverse clutch lever 84 on the knee i actuated it rotates the gear 104 in a clockwise direction, shiftingthe spool valve lii'l, interconnecting the port ill with the port H0 to effect engagement of the clutch E25 and at the same time the port Hi9 is connected to the annular groove I28 in the clutch spool which groove is interconnected by interdrilling I29 to the open end of the bore H18 whereby the cylin der lid is connected to reservoir to permit the shifting. Thus the rapid traverse lever 8-"; effects disengagement of the gear it from the output feed. gear 69, effects engagement of the rapid traverse clutch 82, shifts the valve spool it? and thereby through the hydraulic connections effect engagement of auxiliary clutch I 26 to As shown in Figure 2,

bypass thedisconnected clutch 2i and provide power for rapid-traversing the various work support units, u

What is claimed is: q

1'. In a machine'tool having a' fixed support, a movable support and adrive shaft extending from the fixed support to the movable support for translating the latter, the combination or a source of power located in the fixed support, a manual control mounted on the movable support, a telescoping tube surrounding and protecting said drive shaft, and motion transmitting connections including said tube extending from the manual control to the'fixed support for connect-- ing said, source of power. for operation of thedrive shaft. 4 V 2.111 a machine .tool having a fixed support, a movable support and a transmission shaft extending from the fixed support 'to the movable support, the combination of a power driven shaft mounted in the fixed support, atelescoping' tube surrounding and protecting said transmission shaft, means mounted in" the fixed support for operatively connecting said power shaft for ac tuation of said transmission shaft, a control lever' mounted on the movable support and motion transmitting connections from said lever and in- ,cluding said telescoping tube for effecting operation-of said means in the fixed support.

3, In a machine tool having a fixed support, a movable support, a transmission shaft extending from the "fixed support to the movablesupport, the combination with a prime mover mounted in the fixed support, of a first clutch for connecting said prime'mover to the shaft, a second clutch for connecting said prime mover, to the. shaft, means mounted in the fixed support for effecting operation of one of said clutches, tubular means surrounding and protecting said shaft, a control levermounted on the movable support and motiontransmitting means including said tube for connecting said lever for operation of said second clutch;

'4. In a milling machine having a column, a

- knee adjustably mounted o-n the column, and

Work supporting slides mounted onthe knee, the combination of a prime mover mounted in the column, a transmission shaft extending from the column to the knee, the telescoping tube enclosing and protecting said shaft, a first clutch ,moun'ted inthe column, a control lever mounted in the column for operatingsaid clutch to effect connection of the prime mover to said shaft, a second clutch mounted in'the column for connecting the prime mover to said shaft, a control lever mounted on the knee, and motion transmitting connections between the last-named lever and said second clutch and including said tube.

5. In a milling machine having a column, a knee slidably mounted on the column and work supporting slides mounted on the knee, the combination of a prime mover mounted on the column, a transmission shaft extending from the column to the knee for imparting movement to the knee and slides, a pair of clutches mounted in the column and arranged in parallel between said prime mover and said shaft, means carried shaft will be operated when either of said clutchesis engaged.

6. In a milling machine having a column and a shiftablework support mounted on the column,

the combination of aprime-mover mounted in the column, a drive shaft extending from the column to the shiftable supportfor actuation thereof, a telescoping tubesurrounding and protecting said shaft, a clutch mounted in the column for connecting said prime; mover to the shaft, fluid operable means for shifting said clutchin eluding a; control valve mountodin thecolumn, a control lever carried by the shiftable support, and motion transmitting means including said telescoping tube for controlling peration of said valve by said control lever. y

"7. In a knee and column type'milling inachine having a spindlerotatably'journaled in the column and a'knee, saddle andtablesup ported on the column for relative movement with'respect to said spindlejthe combination of transmission means for the knee, saddle and table including a power drivenshaft jouinaled in-the knee and adapted to b'e driven ata; com stant speed, a feed box mounted'in'the knee having an input member connected to saidshaft and a variably driven output member, a gear train including actuatorsforthe'respective "supports, said gear train including ash'iftable gear which is movable'into and out of engagement with the output member of said gear box, a clutch for connecting another gear of said train to said input shaft,means including a manual-control leverfor controlling the shifting oftheShiftable gear and the engagement'and disengagement of said clutch, said control m'ans including a'lo'st motion connection'whrby said gear will be 'disengage'd'befor'e the -clutch is engaged for actuation of the actuators atafas-t' rate; and

said clutch will be disengaged before the shiftable gear is engaged for actuation of the actua t'ors at a'feed rate.

"s. In a knee and column "type milling machine having a column, a cutter spin'dle 'jour rialed in the column and a knee, saddle and table mounted on the column'for relative mov ment with respect to said spindle, the combination of transmission and control means for themovable parts including a prime mover, a control clutch and a transmission serially arranged in the column for actuating the spindle, a tr-ansmission train having one end operatively connected to the prime mover throughsaid clutch and the other end terminating in the kneaa rapid traversegear and a feed gear drivenbysaid train, individual-act ators for the "various supports, ashif table-gear for simultaneously con necting sa d-actuatorsto said feed gear, a-clutch' for eifecting engagement of said auxiliary clutch only when said rapid traverse clutch is engaged whereby the knee, saddle and table may beactuated at a rapid traverse rate when the spindle is stopped.

9, In a machine tool; having a tool support, a, knee, saddle and table mounted on said sup port and a prime mover mounted in the support, the combination of means for actuating the knee, saddle and table including a variable feed gear box mounted in, the knee and hav-' ing an input shaft and anoutput gear, a shiftable gear normally held in engagement with said output gear, a-clutch for operatively connecting said input shaft to said shiftable gear, means normally maintaining said clutch in a disengaged position, a manually operable shifter, means directly connecting said shifter to the shiftable gear and a lost motion connection between said shifter and clutch whereby said gear and clutch will be operated sequentially'to in sure disengagement of said gear before actuation thereof by said clutch. I

-10. In a milling machine having a column, a

' knee, saddle and table mounted-on said column,

a cutter spindle and prime mover mounted in the column, the combination of means for'd'riving the knee, saddle and table-including avartable feed gear box mounted in the knee and having an input shaft and an output gear, means to selectively connect the outputgear to the knee, saddle and table for feeding purposes, means for connecting said input shaft to the knee, saddle and table for rapid traverse purposes, a clutch mounted in the column for connecting the prime-mover for actuation of the spindle and said input shaft simultaneously for feedin-gpurposes whereby whe said clutchis disengaged the' input shaft stops, a feed rapid traverse selector control lever mounted on the knee, andmeans operable by said lever when thrown to a rapid traverse position to effect connection of the prime mover tothe input shaft and inde-{ pendently of said spindle.

FRED A. HASSMAN, 

